To Begin Anew
by magpie6789
Summary: Sarah and Toby move forward with their lives until tragedy strikes and forces them into new territory. When something happens to Sarah, Toby asks for help...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All characters and locations belong to their creators and owners...which is not me :(

Chapter 1

It had been a year since Sarah beat the Labyrinth and returned home safely with her brother, Toby. In that year, Sarah changed and grew into a generous and caring sister and daughter. She no longer fought with her father and stepmother and could hear the concern and worry in their voices instead of perceived slights and insults. Gone was the spoiled brat who wished to have her home and father to herself again, who refused to grow up. Sarah happily volunteered to watch Toby without raising a fuss and even convinced her parents to increase their date nights from one to three a week.

Sarah enjoyed her time with Toby, playing with him and teaching him all about her favorite subjects. She moved almost all of her toys into his room, with the exception of a few items that reminded her of her time in the Labyrinth. She refused to believe it was a dream, even when she hadn't been able to call her friends to her world since that night.

She read The Labyrinth to Toby every night for his bedtime story, and only at bedtime. Other books were for the day and only The Labyrinth was for bedtime. Sarah's parents did not understand why Sarah was so insistent with that rule, but shrugged it off. Sarah wanted to instill the lessons she had learned during her time in the Labyrinth to Toby in order for him to grow into a better person than her. Part of those lessons was discipline; hence, reading The Labyrinth at bedtime only.

Sarah had begun to think about her time in the Labyrinth a lot. Especially about the Goblin King. She started to notice things she had missed before; like his expressive eyes and how they always showed his emotions when his face did not. She saw his look of smug triumph that night when she first summoned him. His look of pleading when he asked her not to defy him and run the Labyrinth. His admiration at her resolve and his longing during their ballroom dance in the crystal. His hurt when she pulled away from him and escaped their dream. His pain when he knew she would not give up, not give in. When he knew she would not stay. Oddly, she thought she recognized pride as well...

One night, Sarah was babysitting while her father and stepmother were on a date when she heard someone knocking on the door during Toby's bedtime story. Confused, Sarah cautiously walked downstairs, then began to hurry when she saw flashing red and blue lights leaking through the curtains of the first floor. She wrenched the door open, already expecting the worst and the policeman standing on her doorstep confirmed it.

Sarah could not remember the conversation she had with the police officer, just felt the numbness set in. Toby had snuck downstairs to find out what was going on and heard the news. He started crying and didn't understand why his parents were never coming home again. The officer told her they would have to take them into child services since they were both underage, but she managed to convince him to wait until the morning, explaining it would be easier to get Toby to sleep in his own house. He hesitated, then nodded, crouching down to put his hand on Toby's shoulder, then standing and doing the same with Sarah.

He asked about relatives, said that he could start with some leads to try to keep them with family. Sarah smiled bitterly, and told him her mother's name. She was the only relative that either of them had; Toby's mother had no family to speak of and their father was an only child whose parents had died before Sarah was born.

The officer wrote the name down, then paused, "Like the actress?"

Sarah nodded as she fought back her tears, "Just like the actress. She is the actress. She lives in Beverly Hills." Sarah ran off the address and phone number to him. A little dazed, he told her he would be by in the morning with information.

Sarah thanked him for letting them stay in their own home for the night then slowly shut the door. She couldn't quite wrap her head around the fact that they were never coming home again. She took Toby upstairs and they fell asleep after a long time of crying together on their parents' bed.

Morning came all too soon, bringing with it the harsh reality of the future's uncertainty. The same police officer from the night before came, along with her mother, much to Sarah's surprise. Sarah quickly found out why the officer had accompanied the famous actress. Apparently, she was willing to take her daughter, but not someone else's kid. Toby was to be put into foster care.

Sarah held on like a drowning person to Toby, furious with her mother. She told her that if she did not accept Toby along with her that she would ruin her in the eyes of her adoring public. That caused the woman to pause. After a few minutes of internal debate, she informed the officer (who had been waiting outside and missed the entire showdown), that she had taken one look at Toby and fallen instantly in love and will be taking both children.

The man looked pleased and sooner than Sarah thought possible, everything was made official and legal. Sarah's mother stayed in town just long enough for the paperwork to go through then went back home, leaving her daughter and now adopted son in the house they had grown up in, at Sarah's insistence. Sarah did not want Toby to be raised in the kind of environment her mother thrived in. Sarah had spent a few weeks each summer being ignored by her mother unless having a daughter was something that the famous Linda Williams decided she needed to flaunt. Sarah had also come across some dubious activities on her last trip, which was she had refused to go to her mother's the previous summer.

Linda took care of the bills, but nothing else and Sarah was informed that should anything unseemly end up in the papers or magazines, Toby would be in an orphanage faster than she could say "Celebrity." There was no allowance for food or clothes for them; she didn't care about the boy, and if Sarah did, she would make it work. 'Good character building,' her mother called it. Sarah realized the scary thing was that her mother actually believed that was reasonable and fair. So Sarah kept her end of the bargain...


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to their creators and owners... which is not me... :(

Chapter 2

Sarah dropped out of high school to take care of Toby since she could not afford a sitter or daycare and babysat for food money. She sold everything in the house they could live without and some stuff they could not. The money from that lasted about eight months, supplemented here and there with cash from sitting. Babysitting jobs were scarce as she had to take Toby with her and few were willing to allow that. Almost a year after the car accident, Sarah and Toby were living on little more than peanut butter sandwiches, and that was mostly Toby.

Sarah made sure Toby was fed three times a day, but she would sometimes go two to three days with little or nothing to eat. Begging her mother did no good, she was just told that being a starved actress was good for the soul, that it made one hungrier to make it in life. Sarah did not know how her mother had become so twisted in her logic.

One night as Sarah was tucking Toby into bed, he told her, "Mama, I'm hungry." Toby had started calling her Mama a couple of months before, it was how his young mind adapted to the tragedy that had happened to him-to them-at such a tender age.

Sarah sighed, "I know, sweetie. When we wake up in the morning, we will have a sandwich, okay?" Toby sighed, but nodded. He scooted over for her to lay next to him while she read the Labyrinth to him. As she was walking to the bookshelf to grab it, she suddenly swayed and then collapsed.

Toby cried and ran to her, trying to make her wake up, "Mama! Mama! Wake up!" Nothing Toby did could wake her up, but he finally got an idea and called out loudly, "Goblem King! Help Mama!" When nothing happened, he cried harder until he remembered that there was a special way to call the Goblin King in is book. He scrunched his face, thinking hard, then, "Wish...I wish Goblem King help Mama!"

Within moments, the lights went out and the window in Toby's room flew open followed by an owl that changed into a man. Toby blinked up at the tall slender man that looked just the way Sarah had described him.

The Goblin King looked around, slightly confused and annoyed, at first not seeing anyone. Then he spotted a small child on the other side of the bed, "Did you summon me?" he asked imperiously.

Toby was not sure what that word meant, but he jumped up, "Help Mama! Help!"

The Goblin King sighed, and said as he walked towards the boy, "Child, you do not just call the Goblin King whenever you feel like it, there are rules. I am not here for amu-" he stopped dead when he saw the body on the floor, and his heart skipped a beat until he saw her chest move ever so slightly. He quickly went to her side and looked her over. She was pale and much too thin; she looked like she was already more than halfway dead. He turned to the boy and asked him, "This is your mother?"

Toby shook his head, "No, Mama," he said slowly, to make sure the strange man understood.

Jareth was confused, there was no way she could have a child this age, unless... "Are you Toby?" Toby nodded. "Why did you call me for help?" The Goblin King could not understand the boy's reasoning for summoning him of all beings.

"Mama said you nice. Good...good...good man."

Jareth was beyond shocked, "She said that?" Toby nodded, still shaking Sarah's shoulder slightly, trying to wake her up with tears falling silently down his cheeks. Jareth looked at the two of them and made his decision, "Toby, do you want me to help you and your mama?" At his nod, Jareth said, "I cannot help you until you say something very specific. Can you do that?"

"Spesfic?" Toby asked, unsure of the word.

Jareth thought for a moment, then said, "I can only help if you say 'I wish the Goblin King would take me and Sarah to his castle.'"

Toby scrunched his face, trying to remember all the words the Goblin King had said, "I wish Goblem King take us to castle." As he opened his eyes back up, he looked pleased.

Jareth paused, then decided, "That will work well enough." He picked Sarah up and cradled her to his chest gently and told Toby to hold onto his leg. When he was attached, Jareth transported them to his castle. Toby looked around in wonder as the Goblin King carefully placed Sarah into the middle of the large bed.

Jareth still needed to find out what happened to figure out how best to help. He had not been able to look in on Sarah since she rejected his offer and would have continued to be barred until she reached her majority. But Toby had circumvented that rule, and a good thing too-it had almost been too late. Jareth pushed that panic-inducing thought aside and turned to boy standing at the side of the bed, "Toby, what is wrong with Mama?"

"Fell down."

"Why? What was she doing?"

"Getting book."

Jareth tried a different approach, "Toby what happened to your parents?" He had sensed no other presence in the house, and no residual energy from anyone other than Sarah and Toby.

"Just Mama." At that point, Toby's stomach growled. That confirmed one of Jareth's suspicions.

"Toby, have you eaten today?" The boy nodded and Jareth asked, "What did you eat?"

"Nutbutter sandwiches."

"How many have you had today?"

Toby scrunched his face, thinking, then brightened because he knew this answer, "Three!" He held up two fingers to prove it, too.

Jareth looked at Sarah and frowned, "Did Mama eat today?" Toby shrugged and shook his head, having no answer. The Goblin King ran his hand through Toby's hair, sending a touch of magic to help the boy focus and remember.

"No," he answered as he crawled onto the bed and snuggled next to Sarah.

"What about yesterday, Toby?" Again, he ran his hand through the child's hair to soothe him and help his focus.

"No," Toby whispered, putting his head on Sarah's chest and hugging her.

Jareth got the answers he needed and conjured up a crystal and threw it at the wall. Toby missed this display of power as he was still trying to wake Sarah. Having another thought, he made another crystal and sent it flying as well. It took about thirty minutes for his first crystal to be answered with a knock on the door. "Enter," called the Goblin King and in came four goblins, each with a covered tray. Toby sat up and stared at the goblins, amazed.

A table was pushed to the side of the bed next to the Goblin King and the trays were laid down. The goblins paused to see if their king needed anything else. "Dismissed," came their answer. They bowed themselves out of the room and closed the door. Not a minute later came another knock; "Enter," from the Goblin King again.

Four more goblins came in, this time carrying a small bed frame while two more followed with a mattress. Yet another came with linens. In a few short minutes, the small bed was set up a few feet from where Sarah was resting for Toby to sleep; Jareth thought it would be easier for both of them to be near each other until they were accustomed to the Underground.

As Jaareth carefully lifted Sarah up, he instructed Toby to put some pillows behind her back to prop her up. When she was inclined to his satisfaction, he brushed his hand through her once lush and shining locks to send some magic into her to become more aware.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: All characters and locations belong to their creators and owners...which is not me :(

Chapter 3

Sarah floated in a sea of grey. There was nothing-no sights, no sounds, no feelings. She had a fleeting thought that this should worry her a great deal, but that quickly ebbed away. She just drifted along for what could have been years, but maybe mere moments. Suddenly, she felt a tug and she was rising, rising to the surface of her grey sea.

She blinked against the sudden harsh light, then those dimmed significantly. Sarah tried again, slowly opening her eyes. She saw vague shapes but was too weak to bring anything into focus. Someone said her name; she knew that voice but couldn't place it. Something touched her lips and she recoiled, turning her head to the side. Her head was force back forward and something warm was pushed into her mouth. She gagged, not used to eating much anymore.

The liquid came back up and Jareth caught it in an empty bowl, prepared. "Toby," he said to distract the boy, "are you hungry?" At his nod, Jareth continued, "There is some food here for you. Would you like a sandwich?" Toby sighed and nodded, used to eating them, but Jareth noticed and asked, "Or do you want to try something different?" Toby brightened and nodded. "What do you say?"

Toby looked confused, so Jareth helped him, "You say, 'Yes, please.'"

"Yes, please, Goblem King," Toby said, chagrined. Sarah had taught him manners but he was upset and distracted.

"Jareth, Toby. Call me Jareth. I have the feeling we are going to get to know each other very well in the near future," Jareth smiled at the blonde child.

"Okay."

As Toby had some soup and toast, Jareth fed Sarah and helped Toby remember his manners at the same time. He decided it would be easier on her to avoid bringing her to full awareness as she would just fight him. He wanted her to gain her strength back before she challenged him, otherwise it was not nearly as much fun.

He managed to get her to keep down three spoonfuls of soup and some water. Anything more and she just vomited it back up. Knowing it would take her a while to hold solid food, he sighed at seeing the feisty girl looking so broken. He knew she had been too young when he made his offer to her, but he could not resist, knowing instinctively that she was meant to be his queen and rule by his side. He also understood that she would not have given up her brother no matter what her dreams had been; she was far too stubborn and determined-and he would have honestly been disappointed in her if she had given in. That was what had made him take notice of her in the first place, at the park by her house. He had been watching her occasionally for years, trying to figure out why he was drawn to her. When she had summoned him, he will admit to excitement, deciding that it was his chance to find out what called to him.

It was when she had left the Oubliette with Hoggle and she stood up to him, all defiance and fire, that he had begun to suspect the reasons for his almost obsessive watch. In the dream masquerade was when he knew for certain that she was destined to be his. And it was in the final confrontation when he knew that he loved her and she had all the power over him. He also knew that she was too young to reciprocate. So, he gave her space and decided that when she matured he would seek her out again. Oh, he was hurt and angry that she refused him and it had taken several moons for him to calm down and think rationally again, but he reached the appropriate conclusions and his preparations for her return began.

But now she was here, and she was still too young, not yet an adult by her society's standards. He sighed as he shook off his melancholy thoughts and watched as the boy yawned widely. "I believe it is time for bed, young Toby."

Shaking his head during another yawn, Toby said "Bedtime story."

Jareth sighed again, "What do you want to read?"

"Labyrinth!" came the immediate answer.

That surprised the Goblin King greatly, "The Labyrinth? Are you sure?"

Toby nodded, "Bedtime only," he said, sounding as if it was rehearsed...and not entirely pleased about it.

Jareth put that away to the back of his mind and made a mental note to add it to his expanding list of things he needed to talk to Sarah about. "Where is the book, Toby?"

"On shelf in my room."

Jareth conjured a crystal and pulled up the image of the child's room and had him point out where it was to make it easier to pull through the veil to the Underground. Toby's face lit up at the show of magic and breathed, "Wow."

Jareth smirked at the appreciation on the child's face; he decided that he still liked Toby and thought that he may possibly gain a co-conspirator in his new mission. As Jareth skimmed the pages of the book, Toby kissed Sarah goodnight and laid down in his new bed. Jareth, having had a little practice at this type of thing-seeing as how he has had to entertain the wished-away children for far longer than he cared to remember-began to read the story of The Labyrinth with his usual flair. Toby was quite entranced as the Goblin King paced, stalked, danced and sang his way through the bedtime story.

When Jareth arrived at the end of the story, he told the Final Confrontation with great sadness, but Toby frowned. "That not right!" he exclaimed.

Jareth frowned, "It is not?"

"No, Princess marries the Goblem King and they live happy after."

Jareth paused, then smiled at the delightful child. "They marry and live happily ever after?" At Toby's nod, the Goblin King grinned as he looked over at Sarah. "Toby, would you like Mama to meet her king and get married and live happily ever after?"

Toby thought for a moment, then nodded, "Make Mama happy."

"Perfect. I think I can help with that, son. Let's get Mama better and then we will work on our happily ever after."

"'Kay, Jareth," he said around a yawn as he laid his head down on his pillow.

Jareth flicked his wrist and dimmed the lights more as several candles guttered out. "Goodnight, Toby."

"Night, Jareth." Within minutes, he was fast asleep. Jareth ran his hand through the boy's blonde curls and reflected upon the night's events, not quite believing it was real. He had been hoping that Sarah would come to care for him with time, and here she was, back in his castle in the Underground. She was not aware that she was in the Underground, but she had given a certain Fae hope and a clear purpose. She had changed the story for Toby and told him that the Goblin King was a good man. That had to mean something, and he would spend the rest of eternity proving her words right. If Sarah could see the smile creeping over the Goblin King's face, she would have shivered in equal parts fear and excitement.

Jareth hesitated about leaving her alone for the night, but he figured she would be in an almost catatonic state for several days. Besides, she was sleeping in his bed; it was the first place that came to mind. He did not exactly have rooms available for guests, so he would have the goblins get to work on some remodeling he had been planning in the near future anyway. Jareth sank onto the edge of his bed and toed his boots off while divesting himself of his cape. He usually slept mostly nude, but would keep both pants and shirt on for his guests' sake.

He crawled under his covers, pulled Sarah gently into his arms and kissed the crown of her head, as he whispered, "Goodnight, love. I will protect you both henceforth." With the knowledge that Sarah-and Toby-were where they belonged, even ill, the Goblin King was able to get the first night of the most restful sleep he had had in years.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: All characters and locations belong to their creators and owners...which is not me :(

Chapter 4

Sarah rolled over and pulled the blanket over her head to shut out the sun that dared to peek through the window. Sleep evaded her though so she sighed and stretched. She needed to get Toby fed anyway. Her stomach rumbled at the thought of food, but it was not nearly as painful as usual. Sarah mentally shrugged it off, sat up and froze.

She looked around the beautiful room from the stone walls to the stone floor that was covered in plush rugs. There was a wall of windows on one side and a huge fireplace on wall opposite from the bed with two of the three doors on either side. Paintings and tapestries covered the walls. The room was appointed in varying shades of peach and cream. There was another, smaller bed between the windows and the bed she woke up in.

Just as she was about to get up, the third door opened and Toby quietly bounced in, followed by Hoggle and a goblin that carried a tray. Toby saw that she was awake and ran over to the bed and tackled her. "Mama! You awake!" While Toby hugged the life out of Sarah, she saw the relief spread on Hoggle's face and the goblin quickly put the tray down on a table and ran out of the room.

"Good morning, to you, too, Toby. Good morning, Hoggle. Why are we in the Labyrinth?" She asked Hoggle, but it was another voice that answered her question.

"Because you have not been well, Sarah," drawled a familiar voice that caused a shiver of both fear and excitement to travel down her spine.

Sarah gasped and turned to see the Goblin King as he appeared next to the bed. She felt the surge of several intense emotions at his presence but quickly shut them down, unsure of the reason behind the circumstances. She expected him to be angry and upset with her after she defeated his Labyrinth and turned him down, although she was still not 100% sure that he was completely serious or if it had been another trick to gain the upper hand in their battle of wills. She knew what she wanted to believe in her dreams of him every night but she could not allow that to color her opinion of the present.

She needed to focus and figure out what happened and why she and Toby were back Underground. She had known as soon as she had discovered where she was that she would see the Goblin King, but had not expected it to be so soon. She desperately needed to get her bearings, and that began with getting her questions answered.

Sarah stared up at the Goblin King and looked as composed as she could manage when she asked, "What is going on?" She was quite proud of the fact that her voice did not falter or reveal any of her uneasiness or uncertainty of the situation. She realized that she was quite certainly at the king's mercy and she did not feel comfortable with that at all.

Jareth raised an eyebrow and said, "Well, Sarah, you collapsed and young Toby here called and wished for me to aid you. It was a good thing, or you would have soon perished. By the time I arrived, you had already fallen into a catatonic state and could not be roused."

Sarah looked at Toby, guilty that she had been unable to provide for him better and as a result, had almost cost him another parent. What would have happened to him then? Her mother would not have seen it her responsibility to take care of him so he most likely would have ended up in an orphanage. The very place she had been trying so hard to avoid for almost a year now. She quickly decided that she would do better for him, maybe try to work something out with the Goblin King for food and shelter. She could work for him, somehow. Hopefully, she would have better luck here than Above. Besides, she hadn't felt at home Above for a very long time.

Sarah squeezed Toby tightly and looked up at her...rescuer. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I am beyond grateful for your help."

Jareth and Hoggle were both surprised at her words; they had expected her to be spitting fire. They shared a look that conveyed their shock with each other and Jareth commented, "You have changed a great deal, Sarah. Far more than I expected, I must admit. I was expecting a fight when you woke up but I must say, this is far more relaxing." Jareth kept the 'disappointing' part to himself.

Hoggle sighed, it sounded like his king was trying to goad his friend into a fight, not commend her for not starting one. He cleared his throat, "I expect you needs some privacy, Sarah. I'll take Toby to the Garden for a bits." He shot a pointed look at Jareth as well, who ignored it, of course.

As the door shut, Jareth said, "He is right, you must want to freshen up a bit. Let me help you to the bathing chamber, Sarah."

Sarah decided not to point out that sounded more like a demand than a request and said simply, "Thanks, but I can manage." To prove her point, she threw the covers off and draped her legs over the side of the bed until her feet hit the floor. She pushed the lightheadedness away and grabbed one of the bed posts to pull herself up. Why was she so weak? To her dismay, her knees buckled and gave out from under her and the floor rushed to meet her face. Before she connected, Jareth caught and pulled her back into a standing position as he supported most of her weight. Frightened, she looked up at him, "Why can't I walk?"

"Your muscles are weak from lack of nutrition and from disuse."

The lack of food she could understand, but disuse? "What do you mean, disuse? Wait, how long have we been here?"

Jareth helped her walk towards the door to the left of the fireplace and dropped the bombshell, "You have been recovering here for ten days. We have rotated you often and even used levitation to avoid acquiring sores, but I could not make your muscles operate by themselves. We will just need to take this slowly and build your strength back up."

Sarah caught the 'we' he threw out, but did not comment on it as she was concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other. They reached the door as it opened to admit them to a very modern bathroom, complete with plumbing. Jareth saw her shock and chuckled, "You didn't expect running water?"

Sarah blushed and shook her head. She was lead over to the toilet and she thanked him for his help but insisted that she could handle the rest by herself. He walked out, hesitant to leave her alone in case she fell, but he did notice the look of longing she gave the large clawfoot bathtub. He flicked his wrist and hot water started to flow as he shut the door and leaned against it. Sarah smiled as the tub filled with water. She took care of business and went to wash her hands when she stumbled and let out a yelp. Instantly she was caught in a firm grip and pulled against an even firmer chest.

"Careful, Sarah. You are still very weak."

"I need to wash my hands." she said, embarrassed. Then paused, "Were you watching me?" She heard the bite of anger in her voice but did nothing to hide it; she would not put up with anything like that.

He helped her to the sink and waved his hand for the tub to stop as it was full before he answered, "No, but I was listening in case you needed help. And a good thing, too, or you would have a lovely bruise about now."

When she finished with her hands, she looked up at the man who has been haunting her dreams for longer than she wanted to admit, even to herself, and asked, "Why are you doing this?"

He looked down at her and thought about his answer. "Toby wished for me to help you," he began.

Strangely disappointed, Sarah said, "I see. Thank you for your help, Your Majesty. When I am able, I will repay you for your generosity."

Jareth frowned at that answer, but saw her disappointment and finished what he was trying to tell her, "Sarah." He waited until she looked up at him, "Toby wished for me to help you and I have been happy to lend my assistance, but I have not been compelled to do so. I have had an ulterior motive as well."

Sarah frowned suspiciously, not sure if she was going to like what she was about to hear, but asked anyway, "What motive?"


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: All characters and locations belong to their creators and owners...which is not me :(

Chapter 5

"Sarah." Jareth waited until she looked up at him, "Toby wished for me to help you and I have been happy to do so. But I also have had an ulterior motive as well."

Sarah frowned suspiciously, not sure if she was going to like what she was about to hear, but asked anyway, "What motive?"

Jareth smirked, "Why, you, of course. I have been waiting for you to come back to me. I have been unable to see you because you defeated the Labyrinth and I have been...restricted by rules." He paused for a deep breath, then plunged on, "I have been waiting, hoping that we would be able to meet again under different circumstances that te last time. In the short time that you were here, you made a lasting impression on, not only me, but my entire kingdom. No runner before or after you have been able to get even halfway through and most definitely have not won over my citizens. Every creature you came across, even the goblins, care for you. And I care for you most of all. The last time we met, I was forced to abide by the expectations of me you had set during the challenge. This time, you and your brother are my guests and therefore, no one is forced into any specific role. I am eager to use this opportunity for us to become better acquainted. All I ask is for a chance, Sarah." Again, there was a slight note of demand in his voice underlying the plea.

Sarah swallowed hard, not quite believing what she was hearing. It sounded so much like her dreams that she just stared blankly at him for a few minutes. Jareth was starting to become...not quite nervous (The Goblin King does _not_ get nervous) at her silence. Thinking he must have pushed too soon, he nodded and said, "Forgive me, Sarah. You need to get well. Everything else will wait. Come, a bath will help, I think."

Sarah could see the Goblin Kings emotions in his expressive eyes and knew that he meant what he had said. "Jareth, wait." If he could be honest, so could she. "I-I have been thinking and dreaming and rethinking about our last encounter and about you for a long time. I have grown and matured since the last time." She smiled and said, "Becoming a parent can definitely put things into perspective. But right now I need to focus on Toby."

Jareth smiled, she had not said no. "Fair enough. Would you like a bath now?"

Sarah nodded, "You have no idea." Then she frowned, if she couldn't walk, how was she going to have the energy to take a bath.

Realizing her dilemma, Jareth grinned, "Do you need assistance?"

Sarah blushed to the roots of her hair and stammered, "N-N-No, not n-necessary."

The Goblin King pouted, "Pity, it would have been interesting. But no matter, I will have a goblin come in to assist you and once you are dressed I will help you back to bed." He walked her to the tub and lowered her to a chair sitting next to it that she did not remember seeing before. He changed her nightgown to a robe with the flick of his hand. "That should be easier to manage, I will wait outside the door until the goblin arrives. If you need help, just call."

She nodded as she kept her eyes on the water. She was having a difficult time pushing the blush from her cheeks. When she heard the door close behind him, she glanced at it and let her flush loose. Her cheeks burned and she felt a bit giddy. Being this close to the Goblin King was mind boggling. She had dreamed of him but she hadn't dared to hope that she would see him again. Now all she could think about was the visions in her dreams.

Shaking her head, she untied the robe and slid into the steaming hot water. She sighed in bliss. It had been so long since she could just stop worrying and relax. The smell of the water reminded her of peaches and brought a smile to her face. The ballroom dream had been a distraction, it was true, but it had been her dream; she realized that now. She had always wanted to be the princess in a fairy tale who was swept off her feet by her prince charming. Jareth had even given her that, even though he was a king, not a prince, and he was not very charming on her last visit. It seemed he was trying to make up for that now.

Sarah heard a knock at the door and it was pushed open to reveal a female goblin. She was unlike any of the others that she had seen the last time she was here. She was clean, well groomed and well behaved. She bustled around the bathroom grabbing bottles and towels and a bucket.

She kept up a stream of chatter the whole time as well, "Everyone is glad to see you back, My Lady. You have have been missed. You brought much entertainment and excitement the last time. Surely His Majesty is overjoyed that you are back. He has been anticipating your return. We have been hard at work rebuilding the town and castle since you left, My Lady. Now, let us wash your hair, My Lady."

"Sarah. Please, call me Sarah," she pleaded; she could not take being called My Lady. It was not nearly as rewarding as she had thought when she played dress-up in the park.

"That would not be proper and may upset His Majesty, My Lady," the goblin, Tessa, said with a frown.

"I don't care. It is my name and I would prefer to be called that. If His Majesty has a problem with it, he will take it up with me, not you. So, call me Sarah."

Tessa smiled behind Sarah's head as she was combing the tangles out of her hair before getting it wet. She is a good match for His Majesty, she thought to herself. However, she knew that would not work, especially after she became the Queen, so Tessa offered, "How about a compromise? I cannot call you just Sarah, but I may be able to get away with Lady Sarah."

Sarah sighed, "I guess, if you really can't just call me Sarah."

Pleased, Tessa murmured soothingly while Lady Sarah soaked in the tub.

In the bedroom, the Goblin King smiled. She still has some of that fire that he so admired. _**Good**_, he thought, _**she will need it. Ruling the Goblin Kingdom takes a strong will.**_


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: All characters and locations belong to their creators and owners...which is not me :(

Chapter 6

While Sarah enjoyed her bath, Jareth was trying very hard to respect her privacy and not peek. He won over his baser instincts by reminding himself that she was nowhere near ready and was not yet an adult. Jareth ordered a meal for Sarah and himself and instructed his goblins to send food to the gardens for Toby and Hoggle as well. Hoggle had been promoted recently from Gatekeeper of the Labyrinth to the Keeper of the Gardens at the castle. He had been instrumental in keeping an eye on Toby while Jareth fed his sister and to keep his spirits up while waiting for Sarah to get well. By the time the servant came out of the bathing chamber to inform him that His Lady was decent, the food was waiting on the table for them.

Jareth's breath caught in his throat as he walked in to help Sarah back to bed. The smell of peaches in the air combined with her sitting in a simple lounge dress and her hair pulled back almost made him forget that she was not yet an adult. She did not look like a child anymore, though. The last few years had aged her soul as her body had developed into maturity. She will have some more growing and filling out to do, especially since she is still underfed, but he could not wait to see how she would develop.

Sarah smiled up at Jareth, relaxed after Tessa's ministrations on her hair but froze when she saw his eyes. His eyes held such fire and passion as he surveyed her. Sarah blushed and looked at her knees, unused to such attention. Her innocence caused Jareth to smile wickedly before smoothing his features. His smile would have definitely given her pause if she had seen it.

Jareth walked over to her and bowed over her hand while kissing it. "You look beautiful, Sarah. How do you feel?"

Captured by the emotions in his eyes, she swallowed and said, "Much better, thank you."

"Are you ready to eat?" At that moment, Sarah's stomach answered for her and Jareth chuckled, "I will take that as a yes. Would you like some soup or do you want to try some eggs and toast."

At the mention of eggs and toast, Sarah's mouth watered. It had been so long since she had had decent food that everything sounded good. "Eggs and toast sound wonderful." Jareth heard the longing in her voice and felt a pang that she had been suffering for so long.

As he helped her towards her bed, she caught sight of the view out the windows and craned her neck. Jareth steered her there instead and let her look. "I can't believe this is the same place. Everything looks so different."

Jareth smiled sardonically, "Yes, well, after you defeated me, you left quite the disaster in your wake."

Sarah looked up quickly, guilt in her eyes, "I'm so sorry, I was in such a hurry to get Toby back that I didn't stop to think about all the destruction to the City. I was so intent on seeing all of you as the villains that I was feeding my denial about everything being my fault."

"There is nothing to forgive, dear Sarah. Without you, we never would have rebuilt anything. You caused me, everyone, to actually look around us and see the mess. The entire town has been rebuilt into a better defensible orientation, the junk yard had been moved from the City Gates and even the castle has been updated." He said this last with a waive towards her bathroom. "Essentially, we should thank you."

Sarah shook her head at his rationalization, completely confounded. What could she say to that?

Jareth turned her towards the table by the bed which had suddenly sprouted chairs. "Why don't we sit like civilized beings to eat?" Sarah nodded and Jareth pulled out her chair, a complete gentleman. At least until he sat down opposite and draped his leg over the arm of his own chair. Sarah covered her mouth, stifling a giggle as he grabbed his utensils. He just raised his eyebrow at her and said nothing, just waited for her to begin eating first.

At the first bite, she moaned in ecstasy and Jareth dropped his fork. Sarah paid no attention to him, focusing on her food while Jareth watched, enraptured at her expressions and sounds. They made him wonder how she would sound during more...pleasurable activities. Shaking his head, he started eating but continued to watch her, enjoying her enjoyment.

Far too soon, Sarah found she was stuffed and hadn't even eaten half her plate. She laid her fork down with a sigh and a severe frown at her offending stomach for giving up on her so fast. Jareth noticed and started to chuckle, then laugh outright. Sarah paused, she had never heard him laugh before, not a real laugh. It caused goosebumps to run down her arms at the melody of it. She was once again struck by how beautiful the man was. _**It was kind of...unfair,**_ she thought was a small smile at her old complaint.

His chuckles fading, he smiled at Sarah, "I have missed you. It has been very dull without you here, my dear." Sarah smiled, then yawned widely. "I believe you need a nap."

"I can't be tired, I've been asleep for ten days!" Sarah fought off another yawn.

"How about we wake you up in a few hours for lunch? Maybe a picnic in the Gardens?" Jareth used bribery shamelessly, he was well trained in the Art of Getting His Way, after all.

Sarah started to shake her head, but gave in when another yawn ruined her denial. "Maybe just a short nap."

Jareth grinned at her acceptance and escorted her to bed, "Do you like the room, Sarah? If the colors do not suit you, I have another room available while the remodeling continues." He did not mention that the other room was his, as he had moved her into this one yesterday when it was finished. He missed her in his bed; even though they had only been sleeping, he had finally felt content...almost whole. Jareth sighed silently; he knew that he would not have that again until they married. And he had no doubts that they would.

"The room is beautiful, Jareth. It's perfect, actually. Thank you," she said as she laid her head down and shifted to get comfortable.

Jareth was pleased with her answer as he had chosen the color scheme himself, as well as the soaps and scents in the bathing chamber. Peach was his favorite fruit after all. Jareth preened at her compliment but did not bother to reply as Sarah was already asleep, her mouth slightly open as she breathed. This sleep was much more restful than previously, perhaps because she was less worried and stressed over Toby. He ran his hand through her hair, sending some magic to completely soothe her during her rest. Jareth went back to his duties after warning Hoggle that Sarah was resting and was not to be disturbed for a few hours. Toby was brought to Jareth's throne room, where he observed the everyday happenings that took place, as Jareth still intended to make Toby his heir.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: All characters and locations belong to their creators and owners...which is not me :(

A/N: You have been warned, there is a splash of LEMON in the beginning of this chapter, if that is not your thing, or are too young, turn around or go the page break (JsJsJsJs) about halfway down. ENJOY!

Chapter 7

Sarah became of a tickling sensation along her left ribs. She stretched and opened her eyes to be greeted by a shock of blonde hair hovering above her stomach. Jareth was nuzzling her her navel with his mouth and trailing kisses up and along her ribs. Sarah gasped and grabbed hold of his head. He looked up at her and smirked. "Did you rest well, Sarah?" he asked as he pushed her nightgown up farther to reveal the underside of her breasts and gave one a slow swipe with his tongue.

Sarah moaned and arched her back into his touch. Jareth chuckled and complied with her unspoken request. He flicked his wrist and her gown disappeared leaving her completely bare for his exploration. He leaned up to take a long, slow look at her entire body. Sarah shivered and blushed, trying to pull the sheet over her body in embarrassment. Jareth pulled it away, "Never hide, love, you are beautiful, perfect." And he pulled her left nipple into mouth.

Sarah's head fell back and her eyes closed in ecstasy. "Jareth..." she panted, "what are you doing?"

"Waking you up, love," he answered in between nips and kisses along the path to her other breast.

"This is too fast, Jareth," she moaned as she pulled him closer to her.

He pulled his head away, "Do you want me to stop, love?" Jareth grinned when Sarah pulled him down on top of her. "I'll take that as a no."

Sarah's hands started to wander as Jareth came in for a kiss. As he gently rubbed her lips with his, she combed her fingers through his hair. When he sucked her bottom lip between his, she memorized the shape of his shoulders. When his tongue gained entrance to her mouth, she ran her hands over his chest and stomach.

When he groaned, she pulled his shirt up and he helped her take it all the way off. With their kiss broken, he grinned wickedly up at her as he moved his body down hers. He kissed his way down her stomach to her thighs, which he paid special attention to with his mouth and hands. By this point, it was all Sarah could do to remember how to breathe as he inched oh-so-slowly to her heated center.

_**What am I doing?**_ She had never even gone on a date and one day back with the Goblin King and she is in bed with him, ready and willing. _**We should stop from go**_- at the first touch of his tongue against her bundle of nerves she nearly jumped of the bed.

Within moments, he had her on the edge of a precipice. She had never experienced an orgasm before, but she knew enough to understand what was happening to her body. She was almost terrified to let go, somehow instinctively knowing that if she gave herself to Jareth, she would be bound to him for the rest of her life. That realization caused a shiver of fear to tingle down her spine but, surprisingly, it enhanced her arousal.

Jareth looked up from between her thighs, aware that she was resisting letting go, "Sarah," he whispered and pressed his thumb to her button. "Sarah," he repeated and she was confused as to why her shoulder was moving. Looking at it, she saw nothing, but then it moved again and she blinked as a hand came into focus. A hand wearing a leather glove. How did he- She sat up and looked down at herself, still fully clothed and under her blanket.

"What-" she stopped, confused.

Js

JsJs

JsJsJs

JsJsJsJs

JsJsJs

JsJs

Js

Jareth frowned at her disorientation, "Sarah, it is time for lunch. Do you want to rest some more?"

Sarah rubbed her eyes and shook her head, trying to clear the fog in her brain. "I was sleeping?"

Now worried, Jareth sat on the edge of her bed and tipped her chin to look in her eyes. Her pupils were enlarged, her face and what he could see of the top of her chest were flushed red while her breathing was erratic. It looked as if she was aroused, but she had been asleep. A thought stole into his mind and he grinned to himself, careful not to let Sarah see it. "You were asleep, Sarah. For about five hours now. Did you have pleasant dreams?" He just could not resist, he had been suffering for almost two years now, with his sleep plagued by increasingly vivid dreams. It was satisfying to know he was not the only one affected.

Sarah ducked her head and rubbed her temple; she whispered to herself, "It was so real, more than the others."

Jareth almost jumped up and shouted to the sun, his suspicions confirmed, "What was so real, love?"

She jumped at the endearment, flashing back to her dream. "My dream..." Jareth waited to see if she would tell him about it. "I was dreaming that I was awake; it seemed so real," she hedged, blushing harder than she already was. She missed his disappointed look before his expressionless mask fell back into place.

Deciding that she was not going to give him any interesting details, he asked, "Would you still like to go to the Gardens for lunch?"

Sarah got a grip on herself and nodded. "I need to use the facilities first," she said with a nod towards the bathroom.

Jareth's interest in her dream was piqued and he could not shake it. He resolutely shoved it aside for the moment to help her to the bathing chamber where he waited for her outside.

Sarah stared at her reflection in the mirror and was surprised at what she saw. She looked much healthier than the last time she had looked at herself but what caught her attention was the look in her eyes and the glow in her cheeks. She splashed cold water on her face, trying to calm her raging blush. _**That dream had been much more vivid than all the others combined, **_she mused._** Why was this one so much more intense?**_ Then it hit her: it must have something to do with the Goblin King, maybe his magic is affecting her, or being back in the Labyrinth...

Sarah sighed and put it aside for now, she would deal with it later. She quickly realized that her hair was a mess from tossing and turning, so she pulled the pins out and ran a brush through the once-again glossy strands and left it down. Surprisingly, her dress was not too wrinkled, although she was still unsure if it was a nightgown or suitable for outside. She shrugged and decided she didn't really care.

She was glad to see that she was regaining her strength, she made it all the way to the bathroom door and opened it without assistance. It was slow, but she did it! She grinned in pride and saw an answering one on the Goblin King;s face as well.

Jareth offered her his arm and said, "I think we will take an easier route than the stairs this time. If you feel up to if after lunch, we can try walking around the Gardens for a bit. If you feel tired, love, let me know." Jareth caught her shiver at his use of the endearment and decided to use is sparingly for now, just to keep her on her toes. As he transported them to their destination, he smirked and thought, _**This is going to be fun.**_


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: All characters and locations belong to their creators and owners...which is not me :(

A/N: Yay! It's a long one, folks! Thanks to everyone that has reviewed, followed and favorited this little story of mine (that is becoming not-so-little). Please, continue to let me know what you all think ;D

Chapter 8

When Sarah and Jareth arrived for lunch, she was pleasantly surprised to see Toby and Hoggle at the table. Or rather, Hoggle was at the table and Toby was running around the Garden. Sarah giggled at the expression on Hoggle's face at watching her boy. At her laugh, Toby and Hoggle turned to see her standing there with the Goblin King. Hoggle hopped down from the chair while Toby ran over to Sarah and did his infamous jump-hug. "Mama!"

Sarah caught him but stumbled and Jareth steadied them. After a good couple minutes of Toby squeezing the life out of her, Sarah pulled back and rained kisses all over his face. Her arms were starting to tremble so she moved to put Toby back on the ground but he raised his arms to Jareth for a hug. That surprised her, but she was downright shocked when Jareth agreeably pulled him out of her arms for a hug. The picture they made gave her the weirdest feeling; with Toby's blonde curls and blue eyes, he looked a lot like the Goblin King.

Sarah shook her head and turned to give Hoggle a hug and thanked him for watching Toby. "Ain't nothin' to it. I just needs to sit down and he runs wild. He knows to stay where I can sees him."

Sarah smiled over her shoulder to Toby, who was watching her with interest as Jareth whispered something in his ear. She narrowed her eyes at him and he pulled out an innocent look and shrugged his shoulders. Sarah turned back to Hoggle, "Still, I know how exhausting it can with him. If I could bottle his energy and sell it, I could make millions," Sarah joked, but both Hoggle and Jareth got a calculating look on their faces. "Oh, no! Don't even think about it! You will not do anything to my boy, if either of you harm even one hair on his head, friend or no, Goblin King or no, I will make you wish you had never been brought into this world." She looked between the two males and must have looked fierce because they both backed away a step and raised their hands in surrender. Good, she thought, they do not want to mess with the Mama Bear.

Sarah's stomach ruined her stand by speaking up at that moment, and quite loudly. Toby giggled, then it turned into a laugh at the look on Sarah's face. "Mama's tummy talks," he laughed.

Watching him laughing, still in the Goblin King's arms, Sarah's lips twitched, then bloomed into a full-on smile at Toby's happiness. He appeared to have been thriving while she was recovering. _**Wait- what is he wearing?**_ she thought. "Sweetie, come here, I want to get a good look at you." Toby wiggled down from his perch and skipped to her. She grabbed one of his hands and had him turn in a slow circle. "Did you get new clothes, hon?"

"Uh-huh, Jareth gave me 'em. Said I'm too big for udder ones." Toby looked so excited about this fact but Sarah just looked over at the Goblin King with an eyebrow raised and pointedly looked between her charge's outfit and the Goblin King's. They were both wearing dove grey leggings, cream-colored shirts with lots of ruffles and dark grey jackets. They even had matching boots (although Toby's were-thankfully!-flat soled). **_Seriously?!_** she thought.

Jareth just smirked and said, "He has excellent taste in fashion, Sarah. Now, shall we eat?"

Sarah's suspicions were running rampant and she was determined to be on guard. She found it hard to believe the Goblin King would go to this much trouble without expecting something big in return. Hoggle was happy that she was being cautious; he knew it was foolish to trust the Goblin King. Hoggle was dismissed when Jareth helped Sarah into her seat. She protested, but at a look from His Majesty, Hoggle beat a hasty retreat after Sarah made him promise to visit with her in the morning.

"Mama! Guess what!" Toby exclaimed, bouncing in his seat, waiting for her to guess.

"Okay," she began, thinking about what it could be. "You can't feel your toes because your pants are too tight?" That was clearly directed at the Goblin King, who looked startled, then chuckled.

"Nope! Again."

"Hmmm...You are almost as tall as Hoggle?"

"No. Wait-yeah, but not it. Last turn!" By this point he was already giggling and not paying any attention to his plate filled with chicken, veggies and fruits. When ever they played Guess What, the guesser had three turns to figure it out or lose. They don't play for anything except bragging rights, though.

"Let me think. Ummm...you have the urge to pick up a guitar, slap makeup on your face and start a hair rock band?" Again, pointed look at Jareth, but he just looked confused about that reference. So was Toby, for that matter.

"Hair rock band? What that, Mama?"

"Nevermind, sweetie, Mama was just making a joke, apparently an inside one," she muttered that last bit to herself.

Toby accepted that and began giggling again, "There's a place that smells badder than Number 2! Hoggle tolds me 'bout it. There really is, Mama! I wanna see it!"

Jareth choked on a bit of food while Sarah had her fork paused, forgotten, halfway to her mouth. Sarah corrected his grammar out of habit, "Worse, hon. It smells worse, not badder." She also made a mental note that Hoggle's speech patterns were rubbing off on Toby and that she would need to take measures against that.

Toby ignored her grammar lesson and repeated, "I wanna see it, Mama. Pwease, can we go?"

Sarah looked at the sky and wondered, _**Why are boys interested in the most disgusting things?** _Sighing, she calmly told him, "No, Toby. We are not going to the Bog of Eternal Stench anytime soon. I have been there, and trust me, it is definitely worse. It is so bad, it made my friend Sir Dydimus lose his smell."

Toby's eyes became huge, "He losed his nose?! Awesome."

Jareth gave a strangled coughed and Sarah shot him a look. He appeared to be beyond amused with their interaction and was trying very hard not to laugh out loud. He kept looking between Sarah and Toby while his shoulders shook violently. Sarah responded to Toby's assessment, "No, he didn't lose his nose, but he can't smell anything anymore. But make sure you don't tell him that, he doesn't know he can't smell."

Toby looked confused, "How come he don't know?"

"Doesn't, sweetie. He doesn't know." Then she paused, "I don't know, Toby."

"Doesn't, Mama. Opposed to say 'I doesn't know." That did it for Jareth. He let loose with the loudest laugh she had ever heard and had to grip the sides of the table to keep from falling out of his chair.

Sarah had to give in to her laughs as well and by they time her and Jareth were finished, Sarah's sides and cheeks hurt. She leaned over and pulled the confused Toby into a hug and kissed his forehead, "I love you so much, Toby. You are one funny kid. You know that?"

"Yes." That started them off again for another round of laughter, although shorter this time around as they were already sore.

Jareth cleared his throat and said, "I have not laughed this much in an eternity. Thank you both."

Toby leaned over and tugged on Sarah's sleeve. She leaned down so he could whisper in her ear (which meant that he yelled into her ear), "Mama, what's e-ter-ni-ty?" He drew out the work, sounding it out.

She whispered back to him, "A very, very, very, very, very, very, super-duper long time." Toby's eyes got bigger with every very and his mouth popped open at super-duper, causing Jareth to take several very deep breaths to avoid another fit. "Okay, sweetie, too much talking and not enough eating."

She watched as Toby tucked into his lunch with gusto and felt that familiar guilt at practically starving him for the last few months. She had to admit, though, that it looked like he had gained five pounds and it felt like he had gained ten. He actually looked like a normal, healthy almost-three-year-old. Sarah gasped and covered her mouth.

Jareth asked, "What is it?"

Toby was paying no attention to the grown-ups, but she still leaned over to whisper, "Toby's birthday is in," quick calculations in her head, "three days. I have no idea what I am going to do."

It took a moment for her words to sink in as he was distracted by her warm breath brushing his ear, but when it did, he patted her hand and said, "Not to worry, we will figure it out."

She was startled by his touch but did not pull away. "I can't ask you to do anything, you have already done way too much. There is no way I am ever going to be able to pay you back if you throw a party, too."

"Who said anything about money, dear Sarah? I like the boy and want him to be happy. Watching the two of you interact today has been wonderful. I am rarely around children for long; they are usually adopted out within a few days."

Sarah frowned, "Adopted out? To who?"

"Just as Above, we have couples here who are unable to conceive. The unwanted children from your world who are not won back are adopted out."

"I thought you turn them into Goblins?" she asked, indignant.

"No, Sarah dear, that is just part of the Game. I have enough goblins running around underfoot, why would I want more? They breed insanely fast as it is." He shuddered at the thought of intentionally adding to the chaos that is the Goblin Realm.

A thought struck Sarah, "How many children normally get wished away?"

Jareth thought for a moment, "On average, around five a month."

Sarah was floored, "Five a month! That's a lot."

Jareth cocked his head to the side, "That is all over the world Aboveground. Every culture has their own version of me, although some are worse than others where I supposedly kidnap naughty children and eat them, when in truth it is their parents or siblings wishing them away."

"That's horrible! How many children go back home?"

Jareth sighed, knowing she would not like this answer, "To this date, only one child has gone back home."

"One? But what about To-," she stopped herself. "Toby is the only one who has gone back home? Ever?"

Jareth nodded slowly, "Very few actually try to get the child back, most just take my 'present' and be done with it. Some do attempt the Labyrinth, but only out of guilt for not wanting the child, and therefore only make half the attempt. I must say that you surprised me, Sarah. When you insisted on running, I thought you would end up like all the rest and give up quickly. I admired your determination to see it through, though. I threw everything at you and you still did not give up. I knew you were special very early on, but I expected you to take the 'present' and leave Toby."

That comment did not upset Sarah like it would have a couple of years ago (she has matured after all, and knows very well that everything was her own fault, too). "So where would Toby have gone if I didn't win?" She glanced over to make sure the boy in question was still not paying attention; he was busy building a castle out of his melon pieces. They were keeping their voices low to avoid attracting his attention to their conversation.

"Toby would have stayed here, I had planned on keeping him for myself." Sarah looked so surprised that he was slightly offended, "I do like children, I will have you know." Jareth was full out indignant, "I am the one that takes care of them when the runner is going about it and until they are adopted out. I had just never thought about keeping one for myself until Toby. He reminded me of myself when I was that age and I realized how lonely I had become over the centuries."

Sarah's eyes bugged out of her head, "Centuries?!"

Jareth's mask of regal coolness settled into place, "Yes. I am not human, Sarah. My kind are very long-lived. While we may not be immortal, we are close."

Sarah swallowed, but was too afraid to ask how old he was so she let that go. As she was looking everywhere but at him, she was attacked by the yawns. Jareth noticed even though she tried to cover it up. "I believe it is time to get Mama back to bed for a bit, Toby. Want to help?"

Toby looked up, disappointed that she had to go back to bed, but proud that he was asked to help (that was an interesting mix of facial expressions). Toby nodded and said, "Wanna help."

"Perfect, I will take one hand, you take the other. Alright, Toby? We need to ensure Mama does not fall."

Toby nodded at his important job and took Sarah's left hand while Jareth grabbed her right and tucked it into the crook of his elbow. "We will have to try the walk in the Gardens tomorrow, Sarah. Today, we will have you walk back to your chambers as far as you can, then I will take us the rest of the way."

Sarah cast a longing look over her shoulder at the Gardens, seeing rows of beautiful roses - all different colors - and sighed. "Okay, but only because I can't stop yawning. How long before I can make it a full day?"

Jareth said, "Just a few days, I am sure. You are already moving about much more that I expected your first day, but I do admire that determination of yours," he said that last with a sly smile.

They only made it about a third of the way back to her chambers before the Goblin King transported them the rest of the way. After Toby tucked Sarah into bed just the way she does for him, Jareth held out his hand to the boy, "Come, Toby. Mama needs to rest and we have mail to open." Toby didn't know what mail was, but went with Jareth because it was usually fun. As they were walking out the door, Sarah's eyes were getting heavy. Jareth paused on his way out to tell her, "Oh, Sarah? I thought you would like to know that my pants in no way inhibit my circulation." This was said with a pointed look at her and it took a moment for her to understand what he was getting at, but when she did, she blushed scarlet. The door was shut to the sound of Jareth's laughter.

Needless to say, it was a little while before she was able to fall asleep. Luckily, or maybe unluckily, her sleep was not active and no dreams about a certain Goblin King plagued them this time around.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: All characters and locations belong to their creators and owners...which is not me :(

Chapter 9

By the time that Sarah's door opened that evening, she had already been up, to the bathroom and changed clothes by herself. She was getting around far easier and was relieved that she seemed to be getting her strength back quickly. After she pulled her hair back into a bun and washed her face, she decided to explore that third door in her room.

Sarah was expecting a small closet with a few items in it, but was shocked to discover a room as big as her bedroom back home filled with all sorts of different items. There was a wall full of ball gowns far more extravagant than she could have ever imagined of varying styles and colors on the left with some more simple ones tucked away on the right. Along the floor all around the room were shoes and slippers on a series of short, two-shelved racks. Along another wall was a variety of blouses hanging on a top pole with pants on the bottom pole. This wall comprised of all kinds of boots along the bottom.

The third wall held what appeared to be nightclothes, including some very racy items that caused Sarah to blush scarlet. In the middle of the room were two dressers of a rich mahogany on either side of a plush-looking peach bench. Both dressers held a treasure trove of jewelry in the top five drawers, each lined in velvet and four inches deep. The bottom two drawers of each dresser held lingerie, again some pretty daring pieces...

Sarah finally turned around to look at the wall behind her with the door to the room in the corner. The remainder of the wall was taken up by a gorgeous double vanity in the same mahogany as the rest of her suite. Neatly lined along both sides of the extra-wide ovular mirror were a variety of lotions, perfumes and cosmetics. Sarah picked up a tube of lipstick the exact same shade as the one she had used as a marker when she ran the Labyrinth. She smiled, swiped some on and blew a kiss to the mirror, giggling.

Turning back around, she looked through some of the clothes to discover they would all it her perfectly. She debated, then quickly decided to wear something comfortable and pulled a white blouse and a pair of pants on with some flats to finish it off. The material of the pants was hard to describe, they had the suppleness of leather, the weave of denim and the give of a spandex blend. Sarah turned to the mirror and discovered that she looked good, but was a little uncomfortable with how well her form showed. _**I'll have to ask for a bigger size, or go with the simple dresses,**_ she thought to herself as she heard the outer door open.

"Sarah? Are you here?" Sarah walked to the doorway and saw Jareth walking towards her. "My, my, love. You do look ravishing." This was said with a smirk and a thorough inspection.

Sarah refused to think about the effect his perusal had on her so she changed the subject. "Jareth, this closet is huge!"

Jareth looked around with a critical eye and frowned, "I thought it was rather small, myself. Wait until you see the wardrobe in my chambers, it is as large as this entire suite. Although, we will need to make some adjustments so that there will be room for your items as well. Hmm...perhaps I'll take the empty office next door and take out that wall, that may give us adequate room..." Jareth's voice had faded as he appeared to be calculating in his head and Sarah was suddenly feeling rather dizzy.

One part of her mind was reeling at his expectation of her...marrying him while another said sarcastically, _**Of course his closet is as big as my entire upstairs, it wouldn't do to run out of clothes...**_ Feeling the impending hysteria start to set in, she unsteadily made her way to the vanity bench and sat down heavily and closed her eyes while she took deep, calming breaths.

"Sarah? Are you feeling unwell? If you need to lie back down, I can have supper sent up."

He seemed so genuinely concerned that it helped clear her head. She opened her eyes and looked in his as she slowly shook her head. She kept expecting to wake up from this surreal dream any moment and it was strange to remember that this was all too real. "No, I'm fine. Really. I sometimes have a hard time believing this is not all a dream and keep waiting for the jolt."

Jareth thought he understood that statement, although the phrasing was a bit off for him. "I know exactly how you feel. I have to continuously remind myself that you are really here with me."

_**Well,**_ Sarah thought as she stood back up, **_I won't be able to say that he didn't warn me of his intentions... _**Aloud, she said, "Is it time for dinner?" She was feeling rather hungry again and could not wait to eat. Sarah had always loved all different kinds of food and was eager to see what types of dishes they had Underground.

Jareth noticed her hopeful look and chuckled quietly. "Supper is ready out in the Gardens. I thought you might prefer to eat there as the dining room is unsuitable for the time being." He held out his arm for her which she grabbed without hesitation or thought as he led her to the hallway. Jareth was aware of her becoming more comfortable with his touch; just this morning she had hesitated or shifted slighted away from his touch.

Once in the hallway, Jareth gave no warning as he transported them to the Gardens and she stumbled as a result of the surprise while he was more than willing to catch her and hold her against himself for support. Sarah looked up at him, still surprised, and froze. Jareth was looking at her intensely again and she felt a blush stain her cheeks. Jareth looked for a moment more, then slowly, very slowly, leaned down to press his lips against hers gently. It was more a whisper of a brush, but it sent tingles all over Sarah's body. Jareth pulled back to see her reaction and smirked when he saw her unfocused eyes. He leaned back down for another and pressed his lips to hers a bit more fully but still kept it brief and light. He did not want to tempt his own restraints after all.

Satisfied, Jareth pulled back and steered her towards the table set up in the Gardens under the sunset sky. Sarah was a bit dazed, touching her fingers to her lips absently as she thought, _**I just got my first kiss! And it was from the Goblin King!**_

Js

JsJs

JsJsJs

JsJsJsJs

JsJsJs

JsJs

Js

A/N: I am sooooooooooo sorry this took so long! I just got so busy with work and family that this had to take a back seat for a while. How dare real life interrupt my fantasy land! Lol

BUT—to get back into the swing of things for To Begin Anew, I have updated all previous chapters to make them more cohesive and grammatically correct. You don't have to reread chapters 1-8, but I would ;) The story itself is still the same, just a few tweaks here and there...overall work-count is higher too! So, I will hopefully have Chapter 10 by the end of this weekend.

I want to thank EVERYONE that has stuck around to see where this is going and for me to get my head back in the game, hopefully, no more long stretches (I have been taking my laptop to work and writing on lunch...)


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: All characters and locations belong to their creators and owners...which is not me :(

Chapter 10

Sarah was still slightly dazed when Jareth helped her to her seat and Toby came bounding up to throw his arms around her neck in greeting. She shook her head to clear it and smiled at the boy.

"Look, Mama, new pants!" Toby held out his leg for emphasis and to get her to look. Sarah was pleasantly surprised to find that he was now wearing a pair of looser-fitting pants made of the same strange material as her own.

"I like them, hon. They look a lot more comfortable," she said, with a raised eyebrow at the Goblin King who just shrugged and smirked at her. Sarah turned back to Toby and asked about his day.

Toby had sat down and started to play with his empty plate and silverware as he said clearly, "We ruled." Slightly confused, Sarah asked for clarification while Jareth seemed to suddenly find the darkening sky fascinating. Toby scrunched his face as he tried to remember, "We went to book-room forever and then went and yell at gobbies til lunch. Oh, we did letters, too!" Toby leaned over and whispered loudly to her, "I like Jareth, Mama, he fun."

Jareth reached and ruffled the boy's blonde curls, "You are a wonderful companion, young Toby. I have had the most fun these past days than in years."

Sarah was suspicious, "What have you been showing him, exactly?"

Jareth shrugged, "Just the day-to-day functions in the Goblin City. And I thought he might like to see the Library considering how much he loves books, something he gets from you, I am sure." He gave her a look that she could not quite figure out, somewhere between a smirk and a leer.

"Why are you showing him what goes on in the castle?" Sarah's voice held the beginnings of a sharp edge but she didn't care, she wanted to know what the Goblin King was up to. He did nothing without a reason and she had a sinking feeling that she would not like them. And she did not like being out of the loop, especially where her brother was concerned.

Jareth smirked and raised one eyebrow, "I believe that one should always know what is going on around them to better adjust to situations as they arise. Do you not want him to be prepared or have the basic knowledge that the youngest goblins do?"

When he put it that way, there was no way Sarah could insist on keeping Toby out of the affairs of the king without seeming like a smothering, jealous parent. Sarah realized that was her problem: she was jealous of the developing relationship between Toby and Jareth. She wanted to be the one to teach him everything he knows and to be on the receiving end of his love. She was afraid that Jareth would take some of Toby's love away from her...

Jareth was surprised at her quiet reflection, he had been expecting (and hoping) for some of her temper and fire. She was glorious when she was in a rage. He was absolutely shocked when she said, "I guess you're right, it never hurts to be prepared for anything."

"Come again? I must not have heard you right, Sarah." He honestly thought he must have heard wrong, he never would have thought she would say that.

Sarah pursed her lips and looked over to Toby (who was paying no attention as he had pulled some goblin figurines out of his pocket and was launching an attack on his plate) and said softly, "You heard me, Jareth."

They sat in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts until supper arrived by way of the Goblin Express. A line of about ten goblins marched down the steps of the castle each carrying a covered tray heavier than they were.

Toby immediately started clapping as the goblins began what could be determined by some as a dance. Sarah had to admit to herself that it was very amusing to watch them weave in and around each other while carrying their loads. It was even more amusing when one bumped into another and they started bickering while they continued their dance and not a single goblin dropped their dish. By the end of it, Sarah was very impressed and clapped along with Toby while Jareth just smiled indulgently.

With the tension between them broken, talking finally resumed at the table. Nothing of importance was discussed, just light conversation but both Sarah and Jareth decided that they needed to have a serious discussion with the other.

Sarah wanted to discuss Jareth's intentions regarding her and her brother more fully and to set some ground rules. Jareth was dying to know what had happened to them Above since she defeated the Labyrinth. However, both knew theirs was not a discussion to be held in front of Toby.

When the meal was over, Toby wanted to show Sarah something in the Garden. She noticed the look he had sent the Goblin King before asking and that he waited for his nod. Curiosity and suspicion warred within her as she allowed her brother to pull her along at his fastest pace while he giggled like crazy with his secret. Jareth followed at a more sedate pace (a king does not flounce about the grounds!) as he waited for her reaction.

A few rows into the Rose Maze, Toby stopped at an elaborate archway of interwoven branches of purple roses. Sarah touched one gently, "I've never seen purple roses before."

Jareth just shrugged with an arrogant look on his face, "Some things Underground are more...exotic than Above, dear Sarah. I thought you would have figured that out by now."

_**Exotic...yeah, that's one way to describe you**_, she thought.

Toby tattled on Jareth, "These use be pink but Jareth made 'em purple for Mama." Toby pulled her down to whisper (yell) in her ear, "I help, told him Mama's favrit color."

Jareth looked like he was trying to fight a smile as he put his hands on his hips and said, "I thought you could keep a secret, Toby!"

Toby immediately looked at the ground, remorseful. Sarah was about to scold the Goblin King when he squatted down to pick the boy up and smiled at him. "Very good, Toby. You should not keep secrets from Mama. Now, that does not mean that we can't surprise her every once in a while, but you should never keep a secret from her."

"No mad?"

"Of course not, son. Now, do you want to show her the rest of the surprise?" Toby grinned and wiggled down to the ground.

Sarah frowned at Jareth but followed Toby through the archway and stopped at the sight she saw. There was a beautiful private flower garden with a seating area off to the left. There was a low table with comfortable chairs and couches grouped around it. In the corner was a brazier for chilly weather with a tinderbox and crate of firewood next to that. There was an assortment of flowers including more roses, lilies and orchids as well a lot more she did not recognize. The majority of the flowers were various shades of purple with some pinks and whites mixed in for contrast.

The most soothing part of the area though, was the four-tiered fountain in the opposite corner from the seating area that splashed the most enchanting melody that caused the listener to instantly relax. To top it off, the area was covered with a glass ceiling to protect the furniture from the elements. Sarah looked up to see the star-covered night sky and felt completely at peace for the first time since she had woken up this morning. The entire Garden was hedged in with the purple roses that formed eight foot walls.

Sarah closed her eyes and just breathed for a minute. She could practically feel Toby vibrating, waiting to see if she liked her present, but she just needed a minute. As she stood there, she felt...hopeful; it had been a long time since she had felt that way. Smiling, she opened her eyes and turned to her impatient audience, "It's beautiful, I don't even know what to say. Thank you."

Jareth pulled Toby into his arms and smoothed his hand through the boy's curls, "I think Mama likes her surprise, Toby, what do you think?"

Toby nodded vigorously as tears sprang to Sarah's eyes that she blinked away quickly. She was again struck by the sight of them together and their similar coloring. She walked over to them and wrapped her arms around her brother and a very surprised Goblin King.

Js

JsJs

JsJsJs

JsJsJsJs

JsJsJsJsJs

JsJsJsJs

JsJsJs

JsJs

Js

A/N: Thank to everyone who has reviewed, followed and favorited this story. I know this was another fluff piece, BUT there is going to be that talk next chapter and soon (maybe chapter 11) we will have some trouble in paradise to make things a bit more interesting...


End file.
